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Greetings!
Welcome to Between the Trapezes! Often the changes in
our lives feel precarious as we are in that space between two certainties.
But taking that chance is what brings success.
Enjoy reading, and feel free to forward this eNewsletter on.
And if you received this email in error, our apologies -- just unsubscribe
using the easy link at the bottom of this page.
Joanne
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Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt
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 Have you noticed the language used
by the media when they've been describing the developments in the economy
these last few days and weeks? Stocks just don't go down, they plunge
or plummet or dive. Credit rates don't go up, they soar,
skyrocket, top out. And: you'd better hang onto your job no
matter what, because unemployment is climbing, breaking records,
will overtake us. All very scary. And leaving us feeling fear,
uncertainty, and doubt.
If you're in job search,
you have experienced enough of each of these in your search. You don't
need more of it. You don't need to add questions like "Will there be
a good job out there for me at all, with all this going on?"
So I'm suggesting to you
what a minister suggested to me years ago when I was complaining about
one world event or another: Turn off the news. Turn it off and don't log
onto news web sites more than a couple of times a day. Surround yourself
with positive people. Attend "up" events. Lean on your faith.
Take a walk, without your iPod. Get your family to ask you no more than
once a week about your job search. Meditate on something peaceful and
beautiful. When someone brings up bad news, change the subject or move on
to the next person.
You can't control what's
happening in the news. But you can control your reaction to it. Hoard
your positive energy for you, and your family. Now is when you really
need it.
What's a Quick
Consult with the Queen?
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Saving Your Interview
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 Most
of the time, job candidates fear they will blow the interview. But
what happens if the employer doesn't know how to do an interview?
A few weeks ago, a client I'll call Paul was called by the recruiter at a
technology company he had targeted. He'd applied for a great job there,
and now the recruiter scheduled a face-to-face interview with Paul, arranging
to have him meet with some key people at the company.
The first interview was
with two analysts who would be peers to Paul. Their opinions would be key
to the hiring decision. As the recruiter left the room, it got very
quiet. The two employees looked at each other and Paul until finally one
of them came up with a question for Paul. Paul handled it fine, giving an
example or two of success in a previous experience that was relevant.
They fell silent again. Finally one of them spoke, and Paul answered the
question.
This awkward and
somewhat painful pattern continued, the minutes ticking away, until Paul
realized: "They don't know how to do an interview!" It was
something he and I had talked about, but now Paul was experiencing it for
himself. If he didn't get to talk right now about how he fit the
job, he might not get a second chance to do so. So he changed tactics.
"Would it be useful
if I talked about some of the technical challenges I've faced in this
work, and how I handled them?", he asked.
The two employees were delighted to be thrown a lifeline, and readily
agreed. Paul jumped in with some additional success stories, and the two
analysts joined in, and it became a spirited conversation among peers,
instead of a game of "interview ping pong".
Naturally, Paul's
confidence grew with each turn of the conversation. The session ended
with Paul having made several key points about his fit, and the two
analysts let him know they wanted to work with him.
The rest of Paul's interviews there that day went well.
If Paul had let the
initial interviewers continue to flail about, that part of the interview
day would have failed. He would not have gained the endorsement of those
two key players. Just because someone is a successful manager or even
CEO, it does not mean they know how to interview prospective employees.
So if you sense the interviewer isn't very good at it, help them out, and
bring up topics that they will probably want to address.
In Paul's case, it helped
him land a second interview, and then the job. He's been there a few
weeks now and it's working out very well.
Congratulations, Paul!
More about our
career choice and job search coaching
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Getting -- and Keeping -- A Great Job
During a Recession. And, a Grand Opening!
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 Joanne
Meehl will be speaking at the Maple Grove Library this coming Monday,
October 6th, at 7pm, about Getting -- and Keeping -- A Great Job
During a Recession. When Joanne speaks to groups about job search,
it's an interactive session loaded with tips and information that's
immediately useful -- and you have fun!
This talk will last about an hour, with more Q&A afterward. And
she'll be signing her book (see below), with a percentage of the sales
proceeds going to the Friends of Maple Grove Library.
Joanne will do this same program at the Oxboro Library in Bloomington,
Minn., on Saturday, November 1st at 11am.
Cost? It's free! so if
you're in the Minneapolis area and want to hear Joanne, and want to learn
how to land a job in these tumultuous times, and how to keep
the one you already have, don't miss this event.
GRAND OPENING!!! The grand opening of the Minneapolis
office of Joanne Meehl Career Services will be on Tuesday, October 21st,
from 4-7pm, at the Minnetonka location. There will be refreshments and
giveaways, and free 15-minute mini-seminars on job search at 4:30 and
6:30. Joanne will also be signing her book (see story below). The
address: 13911 Ridgedale Drive, Suite 490, Minnetonka. Everyone is
welcome!
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The Job Search is All About
Communicating Your Value
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So much of the search depends on how you communicate your
value to a potential employer. Here's a tool that will help you find
the right words.
The Resume Queen's Job Search Thesaurus and Career Guide
is available here
or on Amazon.com, where it's gotten solid positive reviews. AND it's also
available as a iVersion
for your iPod.
By using the Thesaurus and Guide, you'll improve your chances of
strong communications with prospective employers. In these uncertain
times, why not give yourself every advantage?
Thank you for your order!
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Tip of the Month
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Joanne Meehl
Thought of the Day:
There are two ways of meeting difficulties: you alter the
difficulties, or you alter yourself to meet them.
-- Phyllis Bottome, novelist
Tip of the Month:
Not sure what to do with LinkedIn? Click the JOBS tab and search
for job openings there, using the geographic parameters and key words.
More and more employers are bypassing job boards to find candidates here
instead, because they know savvy people link up with others on LinkedIn.
_________________________
We are proud members of:
- Association of Career
Professionals Int'l
- Career Management
Alliance
- Chapman Private Practice
Alliance
- Business Networking
International
Called "The Resume Queen" years ago by a career
counselor colleague, Joanne Meehl decided to have fun
with the nickname (which we've officially trademarked). But she also
takes it seriously by keeping her career management skills on the leading
edge, through research and ongoing dialog with hiring managers.
You're now seeing us use "The Job Search Queen", which
better reflects the breadth of our services. The trademark is pending. We
use both "queen" nicknames in our materials.
________________________
Know someone who would benefit from getting this newsletter? If
so, send us their email address, and we'll add them to our mailing list.
Are you trying to fix the wrong problem? -- Maybe you think your
resume isn't working but could it really be that there just aren't many
jobs in your field right now? Or maybe the companies just aren't a good
fit? Find out what's wrong, especially if you're stuck, stalled, and
confused, during a Quick
Consult with the Queen. This 1-2 hour session gives you concrete
steps to follow for getting unstuck, for a fee of $150. And if you choose
to work with Joanne on these steps, that fee is applicable to your
project.
Joanne's Blog:
The Heart of the Matter
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